Writing and publishing advice?

[politics student]

I am considering writing a book on socialism/consumerism/death of ideology.

I am reading these areas in depth and hope one day to write a book maybe after my degree I will attempt but does anyone have any good left wing publishers which may be able to help.

Any one have any advice on writing a book? Has anyone managed to get one published?

[Die Neue Zeit]

Off the top of my head:

Monthly Review
Verso
Spokesman Books

[politics student]

Off the top of my head:

Monthly Review
Verso
Spokesman Books

Thanks i will have a look at them. :thumbup1:

[Die Neue Zeit]

No prob! :)

[politics student]

My Dad writes books on war history and he thinks freelance publishing is the better way to go. His book was sent somewhere in China and they printed the book for him. The royalties for writing a book through a publisher is laughable.

The left should be against publishers.

Thanks I will look into freelance publishing.

Writing books is one of my life aims so all advice is helpful.

[DIzzIE]

The simplest way to 'publish' something: make it freely available online.

With specific regard to treeware (paper) copies, you can easily setup an informal DIY publishing network. Set up a forum (or even just one thread in an existent forum...such as this one), where those who want a paper copy of the book ask for one, and those who are in the vicinity of free printing supplies (say there's a library printer you can tap into to bypass printing fees, or maybe you have access to a photocopier at work, or...) offer to make the treeware copies and then send them out to those who requested them.

For a more conventional route, there are also novelty printers like www.lulu.com, where you upload the file, select the kind of binding and so on, and they print/sell them for you...but it's best to avoid any sort of commerce, no? ;)

At any rate, what you will definitely want to avoid are the authoritarian trappings of so-called 'liberal' publishers that perpetuate oppressive power structures symbolized by editorial boards, copyright/copyleft, capital, and all that other oppressive baggage.

[MarxSchmarx]

With specific regard to treeware (paper) copies, you can easily setup an informal DIY publishing network. Set up a forum (or even just one thread in an existent forum...such as this one), where those who want a paper copy of the book ask for one, and those who are in the vicinity of free printing supplies (say there's a library printer you can tap into to bypass printing fees, or maybe you have access to a photocopier at work, or...) offer to make the treeware copies and then send them out to those who requested them.

For a more conventional route, there are also novelty printers like www.lulu.com (http://www.anonym.to/?http://www.lulu.com), where you upload the file, select the kind of binding and so on, and they print/sell them for you...but it's best to avoid any sort of commerce, no? http://www.revleft.com/vb/../revleft/smilies/wink.gif

At any rate, what you will definitely want to avoid are the authoritarian trappings of so-called 'liberal' publishers that perpetuate oppressive power structures symbolized by editorial boards, copyright/copyleft, capital, and all that other oppressive baggage.

"Treeware" - that's EPIC :D.

Don't forget this place:
http://www.revleft.com/vb/article-submissions-f30/index.html

If it's damned good, I would also try getting it published as an installment in a magazine like Z-mag or Socialist Worker or some such, and if it gets well received contact some of the publishers JR mentioned. These magazines are usually pretty cool with letting you have the rights to publication.

[politics student]

For a more conventional route, there are also novelty printers like www.lulu.com (http://www.lulu.com), where you upload the file, select the kind of binding and so on, and they print/sell them for you...but it's best to avoid any sort of commerce, no? ;)


That website is brilliant.

I will publish free online downloads and of a course a paper copy for those who wish at a cheap price.

You have just inspired me to get writing now I know I stand a chance of getting it accessible for some people to read it. :D